Laodicea, historically, was a large banking center, and had a famous medical school. In this city, a hot body of water and a cold body of water met to form a lukewarm, perfectly tepid source of water for which the city was well-known. This city was also famous for its weaving of black cloth. I guess they had perfected the art of working with black wool. They were also famous for their trademark eye salve.
Anyway, this message is from "The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:" "Amen" is from the Hebrew word for surely or truly. "Beginning" means origin or source...Jesus is the source of the creation of God. I believe it is He who spoke the words of creation in Genesis 1 (John 1:3).
This church is given no praise, only condemnation and encouragement to repent and return. He says, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth." And not just spit, literally vomit out, it was that repulsive. Remember the waters that met in Laodicea? This town knew exactly what lukewarm meant.
This is what He says about them, "Because you say, 'I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,' and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked..." This was an incredible rich city, if you remember...they had allowed materialism to creep in and steal their fervor.
"I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see." Jesus obviously doesn't consider their material black garments and their own eye salve to be sufficient. They needed His, and only His.
He exhorts them, "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent." "Repent" is again in the imperative.
He says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me." This town had everything they ever thought they needed...but Jesus was on the outside. Also, notice that Jesus is standing outside and knocking...but He cannot come in and dine without someone hearing Him and opening the door. You must have both sides of the equation for a person to come to salvation. YES, God is sovereign and chose who will choose Him; however, He knocks on every door and WE must either choose Him or reject Him. So will you open the door or leave it shut?
The promise is this: "He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne."
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
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